Recently, a novel dispenser for permitting measured quantities of toothpaste to be applied onto a toothbrush has been designed. The dispenser comprises an elongated tubular container mounting at its upper end a finger-operated actuating mechanism and spout. A flexible elongated stem depends centrally inside the container from the actuating mechanism and is connected at its lower end to a follower which closes the lower end of the container and which ratchets upwardly along the stem in response to operation of the actuating mechanism. The follower pushes the toothpaste upwardly in the container and out the spout each time the actuating mechanism is pressed. A screw-on cap is provided to cover the actuating mechanism and spout.
Certain problems have been encountered in filling the above-described dispenser with toothpaste in a high speed manner. The problems are caused by the slenderness of the container, the presence therewithin of the central stem, the viscosity of the toothpaste, and the tendency for it to form air bubbles or pockets in the container during filling. Air pockets are undesirable because they affect adversely the speed with which the container can be filled as well as the quality of filling.